It sounds like the next step is the ultrasound the vet suggested. When is that scheduled for?
I've never typed all of this out before, but I think it's important to try to put Noddy's undiagnosed condition into the most informed possible context. Noddy is a massive cat who spent the majority of his adult life morbidly obese at 26+ lbs. Aside from the obesity itself and a mild limp in one front leg probably caused by that obesity, he was always the picture of good health. He was lazy, of course, but his appetite was strong, his stomach happily digested the high-carb kibble diet I was feeding at that time, and he never had a sickly day.Very true! Can I ask Laurie what procedures are you doing with your cat? Did you do an ultrasound was there a mass in the intestines? I keep going back on if I should just schedule her for an ultrasound. But I don't know what good it will do. Liza has been on Prednisolone for about a month now due to her sinus infection. The vet said for us to keep her on this and up the dose from half to one a day. She said this can shrink the tumor. Liza has been rejecting them the past week when I do manage to get it down her she does on occasion throw it back up. Obviously this won't cure the cancer but will buy her sometime, how much time though? I haven't been able to get her to eat much I do have to force feed her and she does on occasion throw that back up to.
That does seem to be what's happening, yes, but I really have no way of definitively correlating his condition with the pred.Noddy has been doing well on the steroids and now when you've reduced his dose he's getting worse.
It can't hurt, but it also may not identify soft tissue masses, from what I understand. Also, even if it does indicate abnormalities, I don't think it can differentiate between, say, a foreign body obstruction and a tumorous mass. In short, I don't believe an x-ray is going to give you any definitive information. I could be wrong about that, though. You should certainly discuss it with the vet to find out what information you may gain from an x-ray.Do you think an x-ray is wise?
This, too, is something you need to discuss with the vet. I think the euthanasia is going to be harder on you than necessary unless you gain some understanding of this situation. The way to do that is to make it clear to your vet that you need to understand exactly how the likely cancer diagnosis was reached. Don't stop asking questions until you are satisfied that the vet has told you everything the vet knows at this point.I'm trying to understand what other things in bloodwork they go off to determine its Cancer.
That's how I feel with Liza. She's doing better on the Pred but it's not going to solve the root cause of the issue just suppress it. The Vet told me today if she's doing better on the Pred then not to Euthanize her as there is a chance she can pull through this as Pred can shrink tumors. But in my mind the cancer will eventually win, and I don't want to put her through all this.That does seem to be what's happening, yes, but I really have no way of definitively correlating his condition with the pred.
Thanks we will do that, I guess we thought that if the x-ray could determine some sort of a mass we would know in short that it was cancer.In short, I don't believe an x-ray is going to give you any definitive information. I could be wrong about that, though. You should certainly discuss it with the vet to find out what information you may gain from an x-ray.
From what I understand cancer is the more than likely option due to her age and symptoms along with the bloodwork. I pretty much got that from the second vet but the only way to be sure was to do an ultrasound. Now I could wait till Monday for my regular vet to do it for $200 but I had a recommendation of the second opinion vet and they can do it tomorrow for $400. It's a lot of money that we don't have right now, I have drained my kitty account. I also don't want to wait till Monday, as I feel the longer I put it off the longer she can be in pain for.I think the euthanasia is going to be harder on you than necessary unless you gain some understanding of this situation. The way to do that is to make it clear to your vet that you need to understand exactly how the likely cancer diagnosis was reached.
Thank you. Yes I have felt that she has been telling me that she's in pain. Although she hasn't been crying for the last few days probably because she's been on the steroids.Natalielucy, you said in a previous post... "I know in my heart it's the right thing to do. Liza has been telling me for weeks with her cries, howls & moans something's not right."
To me that sounds loud and clear that she is in pain, suffering, andhas she lost complete interest in everything? I've let cats go on for too long, and believe me, the guilt afterwards for allowing the cat to suffer is so much worse than letting it go a little too soon. If the cat has lost interest in everything, including eating, it's time. All the best in your difficult decision.